Stopped by a hardware store in rural Ohio and saw a guy building a cabinet with a hand plane from 1920

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_carr1mo agoTop Commenter

Man, I used to be all about power tools for everything. But seeing someone use a hand plane that old and actually get amazing results? Totally shifted how I look at woodworking now. Made me realize speed isn't everything.

hill.hugo1mo ago

Oh come ON. That hand plane stuff is just romanticizing the HARD way to do things. I get it looks "authentic" but that guy could have built that cabinet in half the time with a good electric planer and a router. I've tried vintage tools and they're constantly needing sharpening or adjustment, and the results are never as consistent as what you get with power tools set up properly. The whole "slowing down" thing is just an excuse to waste time and pat yourself on the back. Speed IS efficiency, and efficiency IS what lets you actually finish projects and move on to the next one. Let's be real, nobody's paying extra for "character marks" from a 100 year old plane when they want a smooth, square cabinet that fits perfectly.